The Foolishness of Nature Worship

¹All people who were unaware of God were foolish by nature.

Despite the good things they could see, they were unable to perceive the God who is,

nor did they recognize the craftsman, though they observe his works.

²But they imagined that fire or wind or swift air

or the movement of the stars or rushing water

or the heavenly lights are the gods that rule the world.

³If mere beauty caused people to believe these things were gods,

let them know how much more beautiful is their Lord,

for the author of all beauty created these things.

⁴Or if people were amazed by their power and energy,

let them learn from these things how much more powerful is the One who made them.

⁵For the Creator can be seen and understood

through the greatness and beauty of creation.

⁶But yet such people should not be blamed very harshly,

for perhaps they went astray while seeking God and desiring to find him.

⁷For they are familiar with his works and search diligently,

but they fall victim to mere appearances, for the things they see are beautiful.

⁸But even so, they are not to be excused.

⁹For if they know so much

that they can speculate about the world,

how have they been so slow to find the Lord of creation?

The Foolishness of Idolatry

¹⁰But those who set their hopes on dead things are miserable.

They worship “gods” made by human beings—

works of gold and silver skillfully shaped to resemble animals,

or useless stone, the work of someone long ago.

¹¹A skilled woodcarver cuts down a suitable tree

and deftly strips off all the bark.

Then with admirable precision

he forms a bowl that is useful in daily life.

¹²He burns the fallen chips from his work

to heat his food so that he can eat his fill.

¹³But one stick is left over, seemingly good for nothing,

since it is crooked and full of knots.

This he carefully carves in his spare time.

With leisurely skill he fashions it;

he gives it the shape of a human

¹⁴or of some worthless animal.

He coats it with crimson paint and colors it red,

covering every blemish with paint.

¹⁵Then he makes a special place to put it

and sets it in a wall, fastening it with iron.

¹⁶He must take care of it so it doesn’t fall

because he knows it cannot help itself;

it is only an image and needs his help.

¹⁷But then he prays to it about his possessions, his marriage, or his children;

he is not ashamed to speak to a lifeless object.

For health, he appeals to a thing that has no strength;

¹⁸for life, he prays to a thing that is dead;

for help, he calls upon a thing that is completely helpless;

for a successful journey, he petitions a thing that cannot take a single step;

¹⁹for money, work, and success in business

he asks for strength from a thing that is unable to help itself.